Heita Mér: Pray to Me
by AdaloiceBlazar
Summary: Adelaide Zonari Istelandottir Bevingede was asked of many things throughout her long life as a royal, as a sorcerer, a traveler, and a goddess. A warrior known throughout the realms, she has committed a great many sins for the sake of her home and family, so what's a few more for the sake of someone else's? TW: Violence, Intimacy, Death
1. Chapter 1

" _Zonari, be careful! If you keep this up, you are going to wear yourself out and get hurt!" I grinned disarmingly at the man in front of me, my vision obscured by heat waves rising from the tips of the flames. I pushed outward with my mind, closing my eyes to focus better, and felt the heat rise, warmth wrapping itself around men. Fire surrounded my body, and as my strength began to wane, I knew my friend was right. Pushing myself this far in such a short time could be crippling to my magic. The tension fell from my frame, and I let the flames fall away with a gust of wind. I blinked a few times, and as the energy dissipated, I realized how exhausted my muscles were, how weak I had made myself. I quickly sank to my knees, then my rear, straightened my legs out in front of me, and let myself fall back, sighing in relief. Morsin joined me shortly, standing next to me. Together we looked up at the moons taking their course, stars gleaming around the two round shapes hanging in the sky._

 _Morsin was specifically helpful during training. One of his gifts was to track the use of magic, he could feel the push and pull of it in the Universe, could feel the push and pull of a warrior's body, how much effort and control one had over a given ability or power. He could, to a degree, sense what a person's powers were or would be, by reading the magic in their body, as well as help them master it. He had been at my side, helping me train, for hours on this particular day._

" _Morsin, do you think I will ever be as well-versed at magic as my father?" I asked, knowing his answer before the question was even asked, but needing the boost in confidence._

" _Yes, I do Ari." I let a small smile grace my face and shook my head, staring at the sky. "I'm serious. You are much farther along than even I am, though I'm loathe to admit it, and you're substantially younger than me." He said gently, kneeling next to me. His brown hair shone in the moonlight, a beautiful contrast to my own blonde strands, and I purposely ignored him as he continued. "You also have a much wider berth of magic, performing it normally like your mother, even if you do not have the same number of abilities. It does not make you weaker, just different."_

" _Morsin, regardless of however strong I may be in my own right, my father had twice as many powers at my age. I fear I shall never be as powerful as he is. If I am to ever rule this realm, I must push myself further, I must be able to protect my people." I closed my eyes, trying to bask in the self deprecation, but my chin was jerked to the left as Morsin grabbed it. My eyes shot open, taking in the angry, passionate expression, and I balked at his fierce look._

" _Maybe that is true, although your father was not half as in control of his powers as you are in this moment of even your newest one. You can move mountains if you so desire. You are capable of anything. You will be the most powerful woman to ever sit on that throne."_

* * *

" _Father, I am supposed to go to the orphanage today. I know mother is ill, but my duties to our people remain, and I made a promise. Why do you ask this of me today? I am already set to go this next week." I argued earnestly, defiant despite the fact that I was in front of the ruler of the realm. At his determined expression my wings drooped on my back, a scowl covering my features. My currently white feathers were stirred from my recent flight, and my distressed state did nothing to help settle them. Morsin and I were standing in front of my father's throne, having been summoned only moments earlier._

" _Because your mother is not well. You know that. Frigga is doing all she can to keep her happy, but she wants to see you. It is just a week earlier, and I am sure that the elders at the orphanage will understand. I will send a guard down there to deliver the news." He motioned at one beside me, and the man bowed, taking leave immediately at the nod my father gave to him, and I sighed, eyes pointed heavenward. "I have spoken with Odin, he and his family missed you as well. I know you missed them. Morsin and Ketyana can go with you."_

" _Father! That is no-"_

" _No." He stated firmly, leaning forward in his throne, eyes fierce. "That is final. No more arguments, you will go. Zonari, your mother needs you, and you have a job to do." As his voice softened, his face did as well. I pursed my lips and nodded stiffly, eyes turning downward in both submission and acceptance._

" _Sire." I bowed, irritated but respectful. "We will take our leave as soon as I can inform Ketyana. I will see you in a fortnight. Goodbye." I turned and marched out angrily, not waiting for my best friend as I leapt from the ledge, gliding downwards until my wings caught a natural resistance. I used it to shoot upwards, turning to round the building slightly. Gracefully rising through the air, my wings pumped until I had risen to where my own balcony jutted out from the side of the palace. Landing on it gracefully, I pulled my wings back quickly with a groan of discomfort, before storming inside. They had had the thinnest, least resistant coating on them yesterday when they had been struck while sparring, and now they were sore, their pure white sheen dulled. I clenched my hands into fists, shoulders tense._

 _"Zonari, please." I shook my head at Morsin's voice behind me, my eye eyes closed._

 _"Go away, Morsin, find Ketyana and come back here for me, please and thank you."_

 _"Zonari, you have to talk to me."_

 _"And I will. Later. Now go." I ordered, turning to face him, impassive. His countenance was one of worry, eyebrows drawn together and lips tight._

 _"Heimdallr. Hello." I nodded, my thin cape swishing about my legs as I marched towards him, my two best friends following half a pace behind me as I greeted the watcher._

 _"Hello Princess." He offered me a slight bow, and I motioned for him to rise. I hated when he bowed to me, he was the keeper of the realms, truly, he had such power and knowledge... "Morsin, Ketyana, King Odin is preparing rooms for you two." We stopped in front of him, Ketyana on my left, Morsin on my right._

 _"Thank you, Heimdallr." The two beside me echoed my sentiments, and he bent his head slightly, an acknowledgement._

 _"There are three horses waiting for you, my lady."_

 _"Of course, thank you. Send word to Odin, let him know we have arrived, if you could._ "

 _"As you wish." He bowed his head again, and I smiled at him kindly, and I nudged Morsin to move around him. As we approached the horses, Ketyana began muttering, nervous._

 _"What if it gets aggressive and dives off the edge? I mean, there is nothing stopping him."_

 _"Except self-preservation. Calm yourself, Ketyana, you know how to swim." I grinned, hand stroking Jetnim's side, greeting the multi-colored stallion._

 _"And fly, for that matter." Morsin added, chuckling as he greeted his own horse, which towered above even my own. Morsin was tall, even for a Lyngardian, and he cut an imposing figure._

 _I spent nearly half my time here, in Asgard, since my mother had become to ill to move, but I hadn't seen my horse in a while. I placed a foot in the stirrup, grabbed the horn of the saddle, and swung myself up onto the stallion. I waited until the other two had mounted their own steeds and turned him around, facing the beautiful, golden towers. "Let's go."_

 _~!~!~!~!~!~_

 ** _Fifteen Minutes Later, Asgard_**

 _"I feel as if I have relayed this to you a countless number of times. While I can cast spells and do as much, my innate ability to change my appearance only goes so far, and I cannot use that power to change my form. Due to the fact that Loki uses normal magic, he can regularly use that to change his physical being, inside and out. I can only change the outside, working to change my organs is too finite a task."_

 _"So you are unable to impregnate a woman, ever?" Ketyana asks, raising an eyebrow._

 _"If I used normal magic to cast a spell and change my body, I suppose I could." I glance at her, a small smirk growing on my face. "Why, Ketyana... While I do not wish to have a child with you, I have to tell you that I am_ thoroughly _flattered." Her face twisted up, and she laughed through her words as she punched my shoulder._

 _"You idiot, that is not what I-"_

 _"Zonari!" A large, booming voice reached my ears as Ketyana, Morsin and I were leaving the castle stables after putting the steeds away. I spun, my heavy silver cape swirling around me in a wide movement. My eyes caught a large blond figure rushing forwards, crimson cloak trailing behind as he sped towards me, eyes lit up in excitement, and mouth tilted up in a wide smile._

 _"Thor!" I greeted, a grin spreading across my face at the sight of my favorite blond prince. I started towards him, only managing a few steps before he swooped down to wrap me up, his thickly muscled arms encompassing my figure. He stood tall again, my feet lifting from the ground a good ways as he was so much taller than myself. I laughed, my own arms tightening around his neck and shoulders. He gripped me to him like he hadn't seen me in years, like he had missed me endlessly, when in reality it had been but a few weeks, and I did not know what to make of that. After a moment, he leaned down, my feet gracing the floor once more, but he didn't remove his arms from around me quite yet. My back bent under his strength, and I let out another laugh as his enthusiasm forced me into a curved shape. I wasn't too incredibly small, but in his embrace I certainly felt it. He held me to him for just a short while longer, swaying gently, before pulling away, and my heart sank with each movement he made in the effort to separate himself from me._

 _"I was unaware that you would be coming so soon. My father said you were not due to be back for a week's time." His hand remained on my waist, and I smiled up at him._

 _"Truthfully, I came to see my mother, according to my father she's been getting worse." His joyous countenance fell into a state of sadness, regret, and sorrow._

 _"Yes, she has, I was visiting her this morning. I regret to have to tell you that her health is declining, although she's not yet at the point of no return."_

 _"Thank you, Thor." I smiled, burying my own sadness until I could deal with it later._

 _"I only give you the truth." He grinned, a wolfish, assured thing, meant to charm me into feeling better. It did not make the issues with my mother's health go away, but I was grateful for it, in any case._

 _"Regardless, it eases my worry, hearing this from someone that lives in the same realm as her on a constant basis."_

 _"You can always trust me to ease your worries, Zonar." His grin softened, hand reaching to rub the bare skin of my arm softly, lovingly. It was yet another effort to comfort me, warming my chest as his eyes echoed the feeling._

 _"I know." I responded simply. He offered me another smile, careful and caring, before turning to the others, his arm slipping around me._

 _"Hello, Morsin. It has been quite a while since I last saw you. How have you fared?" Thor greeted the slightly taller man, offering his hand, which Sin slid his own into, clasping his forearm smoothly._

 _"Well. I can think of nothing of import that has happened recently. Besides Ari acquiring another gift." He grinned at me, wicked and devious, and I looked to the ceiling in mock annoyance._

 _"Did she? How interesting, what was this new ability?" He asked, looking from my friend back to me with curiosity before glancing back at Morsin._

 _"Why don't you ask her to show you?" Slowly, the three of them turned to me expectantly and I sighed, faux annoyance. I pulled away from the blond giant, the loss of warmth forcing upon me a pang of loneliness, and I walked to the wall nearest us._

 _With a playful wave, I took a moment to focus my body and placed one hand against the wall. I pushed against it gently, surrendering my strength to the solidity of the wall. I had to coexist with the wall, occupying the same space, and exist separately. Shoving through would do nothing except hurt me, or hurt the wall, so I had to relax. My hand began to sink into the wall as I forced the molecules of my hand to vibrate exactly opposite to the wall. Slowly, I moved my body forward, my leg slipping through the wall, and the rest of me beginning to follow suit, tension falling from my form so I could pass through the wall. I got more than half of my body through the stone wall before I felt a hand on my wrist, holding me back._

 _"That's one of the men's bathing rooms." Thor's voice came from beside me, warning. I glanced towards him to find a playful grin spread across his face, almost like it was carved there, failing to reach his hardened eyes. I raised an eyebrow, challenging._

 _"What exactly is your objection here? Did you want to accompany me? Are you attempting to keep my delicate sensibilities intact? Did you need bathing?" I teased him, a smirk on my face. His grin fell away as he leaned closer, whispering in my ear, deep and damn near improper._

 _"My objection is one less complicated. I simply don't want you to see these men so exposed." He leaned back a bit, so that I could see his face, and his grin came back, predatory once more and my chest tightened. "If you are so inclined to see a man in the nude that you would push through a wall, you would do well to remember that our rooms are side by side." His words sent a rush of desperate heat through my body, and I wanted, no, needed to push into him. Despite my internal struggle, nerves and anxiousness, I slowly pulled away from the wall, and when my hand was free, I placed it on his hardened stomach._

 _"Are you under the impression that I do not remember that?" I sidled up closer to him, hand still splayed across his abdomen, moving to just above his waist, the nearest place that was still appropriate. "That I do not know which would be more aesthetically impressive and physically_ pleasing _?"_

 _"You have yet to see what's on that side of the wall, you have no way of knowing which you would be better," He paused, his mouth curling into a heat-filled smirk before he continued, "At pleasing you physically."_

 _"I have seen what lies under here, however, and I can attest to its superiority with such conviction that I do not have to see what's over there." With that, I moved away, around the tall blond, my hand trailing across his abdomen before grasping his arm to turn him back to the other two. They were muttering between themselves, watching us interact, Ketyana appearing extremely displeased. I rolled my eyes in a gesture of frustration at that unsurprising revelation. "Now that we are all aware of my new affinity, may we continue previous conversation?"_

 _"Of course." Morsin hummed, "How have you been, Thor?" The blond cleared his throat quietly, and moved forward ever so slightly, and I could feel the desirable heat of his body against my back._

 _"Well, as always. Things remain similarly monotonous, not many things have changed since I saw you last."_

 _"Well that is unfortunate."_

 _"Indeed." Thor's eyes turned to Ketyana, looking her over approvingly and I wanted to growl at the injustice. I had been friends with Ketyana for about half of my life, and as soon as I introduced her to the crown prince of Asgard, she was smitten, but we very rarely spoke of it._

 _Thor and I had been friends our entire lives, dancing around the fact of our affection by hiding it behind the inescapable lust. We didn't talk about our feelings, of course, but we made it plainly obvious nonetheless. We had acknowledged it, and we made our lust the center point. Because we were both in line for the throne, we could never be together the way we wanted to be. Every time I saw him with another woman it sent my heart tumbling down a sharp incline, furnished with rocks and forgotten swords. The pain was amplified a thousand times when I saw him with Ketyana, and I knew that regardless of our friendship, she would take any chance she had with him._

 _"Thor." She greeted, a smile playing on her lips._

 _"Ketyana, it is a pleasure to see you again, I missed you on Zonar's last visit." A unnamable feeling washed through me, tinged with disappointment and sadness. Morsin looked at me, and I nodded minutely. At this, the brunette approached me while I moved away from Thor._

 _"Are you alright?"_

 _"I am perfectly fine, I just... am not fond of their interactions."_

 _"I know." He said, and left it at that, knowing that apologies would do nothing for either of us. "It is bothersome. Normally, she is so well put together, but when she is in the same vicinity as Thor, she becomes a babbling, needy, approval-_

 _dependent wench." I attempted to suppress a laugh which came out as a choke, before nodding amusedly._

 _"Very true." I paused, looking at the two, who were inching closer, Ketyana's brown-black hair swept to one side of her neck, exposing her warm, brown skin. "Before they begin, would you like to accompany me to my mother's room for a visit?"_

 _"Of course, lead the way, Princess." I rolled my eyes, turning from the pair, cape spinning about me. "If you were not the crown princess of Lyngard, you two would not have this issue."_

 _"I am aware, Morsin, and your words do not help me whatsoever, seeing as that is something I have no control over." He sighed, looking at me sourly. His lips parted, probably to shed some light on an already lit topic, but he was interrupted by Thor's voice._

 _"You depart so soon?"_

 _"To see my ailing mother, yes!" I responded without turning, my voice both amused and annoyed._

 _"I shall accompany you." At this, I did turn, frustrated, walking backwards as I yelled across the growing distance._

 _"Do not trouble yourself, I will endure alone."_

 _"With me." Morsin whispered, chuckling._

 _"With Morsin. I shall find you later."_

 _"Of course, Princess. I would like to show Ketyana the training grounds in your absence." I turned back around, huffing._

 _"That is not all he would show her in my absence." Muttering angrily, I comforted myself with the feeling of Morsin's hand rubbing my shoulder as we went to see my mother._

 _~!~!~!~!~!~!~_

 _My mother had been incredibly tired, so we left after only a few moments, promising to come back tomorrow when she would be more awake. After kissing her forehead goodbye, we left, grudgingly and slowly tracking down Thor and Ketyana, who were indeed at the training arena. We soon left once again to find some sort of entertainment, Morsin and I leading the four of us, much to Thor's chagrin. He kept trying to gain my attention, which Ketyana was less than pleased about, though I was too annoyed with the both of them and their incessant flirting to care._

 _"Why must they employ the most attractive people in all of Asgard? Ridiculous." I snapped, attempting to tie my hair up whilst making my way down the endless hallway._

 _"Everyone here is attractive, Zonari, you spend nearly half of your time here, you should be well aware. We did hail from them, so we had to start somewhere to evolve so well."_

 _"And yet, it remains annoying."_

 _"Well then, Princess, I apologize for this incon-"_

 _"Zonari?" I turned quickly to find a raven haired figure emerging from one of the library doors, and had to look around Thor to get a clear view. When I identified the figure, my mood lifted exponentially._

 _"Loki!" I yelled, handing Morsin the string in my hands before taking off towards the pale man, shoving through Thor and Ketyana. The other prince simply opened his arms and stayed his ground, preparing himself. As I collided with him, he tilted backwards, his foot sliding back to keep us both upright. His arms wrapped around me tightly, and my feet left the ground. "Loki." I whispered happily, pleased at his appearance._

 _"Zonar." He laughed, swaying me gently, "I missed you so much."_

 _"I missed you as well, Loki." He stilled his swaying and simply held me for a moment longer, my feet dangling a bit away from the ground. It was nearly a mirror image of his brother's embrace, physically, but it was so different at its base._

 _"Do you want me to put you down now?" The green eyed prince asked, holding me with one arm around my lower back, and rubbing his other hand up and down my spine. This was a comfort very rarely awarded to me, Loki's affection, but I enjoyed it so much._

 _"In a moment." I whispered back, head nestled into the column of his throat, my arms looped around his neck. After a few seconds more, I heard a sigh from behind me, and I rolled my eyes. "Now would probably be an appropriate time."_

 _"Of course." He chuckled as he lowered me to the ground. He left his arms around me long enough to squeeze me to him once more before releasing me, my arms sliding from his shoulders. His smile was bright, pure, and my chest warmed to see it. There was something so innocent about the trickster god, but he was by no means naïve or oblivious. "Have you seen your mother yet?"_

 _"I did, yes. I arrived hours ago."_

 _"Yet you just now find me? I am almost offended."_

 _"Do not be so ridiculously easy to offend, then, Prince."_

 _"I am not easy to offend, you are just good at being a nuisance." One long finger tapped my nose and I scrunched it up, knocking his hand away._

 _"Loki." I warned lowly, narrowing my eyes up at him playfully._

 _"Zonari." He retorted, a grin slipping onto his face, and my heart warmed. My hands reached for his face, looking to hold it, squish it cutely. He darted back, his own hands coming up to grasp my wrists. "Do you wish to play this game?"_

 _"No, I just want to hold your face. You were being so adorable." I pouted, letting my hands fall limp in his grasp. "May I have my hands back?" He rolled his eyes, leaning closer to place a gentle, chaste kiss on the palms of both hands._

 _"No." He said, still grinning. My eyes narrowed and I relaxed my hands, trying to ascertain the right frequency at which to vibrate the molecules in my body so I could move my hands from his grip. Each time I did it, I moved a little faster. My wrists began to sink through his hands, and I was very quickly made aware that moving through a living, moving thing was very different from moving through an inanimate object._

 _I blinked, staring at our hands in wonder. "Loki, I need you to hold still."_

 _"What in Odin's name are you doing?"_

 _"I can move through things. I have yet to attempt to move through a living thing." I moved my hands through a little bit more, a shudder running through my body as his hands flexed, moving the molecules in my hands around in a slightly uncomfortable but peculiar way. "Please, do not move. You are still solid, and when you move it moves the molecules in my hand around."_

 _"Does it hurt?" He asked, concerned._

 _"No, although it feels rather odd, I just have to find the right frequency." I relaxed my hands and wrists again, allowing myself to space out enough for him to move without it hurting, and my wrists began sinking through his hands. After a moment longer, my hands were free, and I laughed, shaking them out with a heavy breath, looking up at him._

 _"That was a new feeling." He chuckled, rubbing his hands together._

 _"Yes, it was." I smiled, wringing my hands, as I stared at him._

 _"Do not worry about it. What do you say we get back to the group?" He offered, offering his arm. I rolled my eyes, a small smile stretching my lips as I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow. As I finally looked back at the group, Ketyana had her eyebrows furrowed, Thor looked less than happy, and Morsin's eyebrows were raised in amusement and curiosity. We made our way back, and I communicated via eye contact with Morsin. Morsin was under the impression that I fancied Loki, which was both highly improbable and preposterous. Loki and I could never happen, he was just too innocent in comparison to the many things I had done. I was quite a bit older than he was, as well, though Lyngardians lived slightly longer._

 _"Brother, I have not seen you all day." Thor greeted, and Loki smiled despite the slightly hostile tone. Loki and I made our way to the front, Morsin on my right, Loki on my left, and we started off again._

AN: So, this is the introductory chapter to my new Marvel Cinematic Universe story. I'll be posting another chapter or two, detailing part of the reason she landed on Midgard. This is only to give you an idea of what her past looks like, even if only briefly. I really love this character, and I've watched her grow for a long time, and I'm excited to share her story with you guys.


	2. Chapter 2

_"You cannot possibly be frightened, Loki."_

 _"Of you? Not in all of the eternity we have."_

 _"You might wish to think more thoroughly, young god."_

 _"You still hang that over my head? You have barely a century on me, and in the many millennia we have looming ahead, and in truth-"_

 _"I do not need to rehash the selfsame conversation yet again, my lord."_

 _"I think that may be the first time you have called me by the correct title, my little bird." My lips turn up at the lovely sobriquet, and I twirled my sword at my side with an easy, practiced motion._

 _"Are you ready, or do you require more time to prepare yourself?" Loki scowled at me, falling into an offensive position, a black long staff in one hand._

 _"I require nothing."_

 _"Then hit me." I demand, grinning challengingly at my friend. He charges forward, and I immediately thrust my sword up to block the overhead blow I could see coming by the twitch in his shoulders. The metal staff slammed into the flat of my blade, a resounding clang echoing through the private training grounds. Loki sent the other end of the staff towards my abdomen, and I phased through it, to which he growled under his breath, hair falling in his face as he moved forward to hit me with a burst of cold through the long staff, magic licking at me. With a pained grunt, I shoved him backwards bodily, pulling air from around his body, which wouldn't kill him, definitely not, but it'd hurt._

 _He mouthed words silently, still unable to breath, eyebrows drawing together as he summoned a slew of daggers, and my eyes tracked them as they grew in number, hovering by him and around us both. Instantly, they all shot forward, and I had to erect a fierce wall of force and wind, knocking them astray. He gasped in a small, deep breath, and I gave him not a moment longer to recover, rushing him with the sword._

 _We battled hand to hand for a moment longer, in which he landed two blows and I landed three, before he shoved me back with a blast of magic. My body flew threw the air, and I slowed my descent, needing to flip to keep my balance as I landed, fire glowing hot in my left hand. I hit him with only one before his body vanished, and I closed my eyes, using my other senses to locate him. I turned towards him, pulling my sword back and sending it flying, right next to where I knew Loki to be, letting the blade slam through part of a tree, which I called towards me, along with the sword. One blow landed against my right side, and I folded into it slightly, the shard of wood falling into my burning hand. Ash gathered in my hand as the flame burned through the wood in seconds, and I dodged two more hits, and when my sword returned to my hand, I used it to block the staff. With my other hand, I tossed the ash into the air where I knew he was, the ash sticking to his body as I manipulated the air around him. He coughed as it hit his face, and I used the moment to spin, slamming the butt of my sword into his chest, my left foot slipping behind him to trip him as he stumbled back._

 _He crashed to the floor and I was on him seconds later, the sharp tip of my sword pressing into the soft skin of his throat, and he dropped the veil of magic keeping him invisible. His disheveled, ash-covered face made me smile, leaning forward to run my fingers through his hair._

 _"I think I won." I muttered, pulling my sword away from his skin._

 _"That move with the ash was brilliant." He admitted, hands rubbing his face clean of ash, and falling to my thighs, spread across his torso, as I was sitting on top of him._

 _"Darling... did you expect anything less?"_

 _"Not particularly. I was pleasantly surprised by you today, as I am every day I remain in your presence."_

 _"You were good, you landed many blows, even if you landed no kill shots."_

 _"I am aware, Princess." He spoke lowly, eyes travelling my face, mouth set in a wry smirk._

 _"Of course, love, you know everything, do you not?"_

 _"Your memory is impeccable, Ari, truly. Have you ever shone so brightly as when in battle?"_

 _"I beg your pardon, Loki." I grinned, leaning over him and pressing my sword into the ground next to his head, my hand wrapped around the grip, supporting my upper body. "I am a goddess, fabled for not just my abilities in battle, but for a thousand other things."_

 _"Shall I count the ways?" He dared, green eyes shimmering brightly._

 _"If you so wish, my Prince."_

 _"Your battle capabilities." He offered, pushing himself off of the ground slightly, hands gripping my thighs. "Your beauty." I shrugged, one side of my mouth tilting up. "Your omnilinguistic skills." My head bobbed as I nodded along with him, one of his hands moving to lay flat against the ground, supporting his own body. "Your magic, and I speak not of your abilities, but your magic, from Alvardi, the magic you use to twist spells and bring life to enchantments." The young god smiled softly, brushing hair from my face that had fallen amidst battle. "But also for your abundance of abilities, moving through walls, lighting fire from nothing with a mere thought, winds that could blow Odin from his own horse, command over the water." My heart warmed as he spoke, but slowly, an empty, swirling pit opened in my gut, nerves and anxiety because I could feel it, I could feel where this was leading. "Flight like no true Asgardian can attain, and wings that even your own people are awed by." Part of me wanted to let it continue, because I did love the Prince, and my father had pushed me for years to go after the younger Asgardian Royal. "A sheer wealth of knowledge." My heart beat for Thor, but perhaps... "The kindest and most inspiring heart I have ever known the pleasure of seeing." Perhaps I could grow to love him? "And by count of many, you have skills in other pleasurable areas as well." His lips touched my neck sweetly, and I sighed against him, one hand rising to play with the strands of hair at the nape of his neck._

 _"My wide berth of knowledge and experience reaches far and wide, young Prince."_

 _"I am hardly younger than you at this point in our lives, love." He murmured, nipping at my skin. "In the grand scheme of things and all."_

 _"The grand scheme of things..." I chuckled, and his kiss is interrupted by his mouth curving up, pressed against my skin, and he has to pull back for a moment, his hand tightening where it lays around my waist._

 _"And all, yes." His voice is hot against my neck and jaw, and his lips move to mouth soft and slow against the curve of my jaw, below my ear. "Isn't that important?" I hum at him, my fingers trailing over the skin of his throat before burying themselves in his midnight black locks. I turned into his kiss slightly, and he kissed and sucked at my jaw for a beautiful moment, and I nudged his head ever so slightly closer, my lips nearing him._

 _ **"Hylja sjá staðr."**_ _I whispered, casting a spell over us and hiding us from prying eyes, of which there were always in a royal palace. My lips finally found the young god's own, and at first it was almost tentative, as if he was unsure of what I was okay with and what I was not. My lips pressed against his, not unmoving, but not quite moving either, just a soft press, a quiet reckoning betwixt ourselves. My hand dropped from where it had been clutching the hilt of my sword, and clutched at his side instead, pulling myself closer to him, if only a tiny bit of a change, and my lips began moving against Loki's. A rush of some unnamed feeling filled me from the bottom up, not a bad one, though I could not say in all certainty that it was a good one either._

 _The boy I had known nearly my entire life, one who had known me for all of his own, one of my closest friends and confidants was pressed against me, and I could feel each movement he made, warm and hot between my thighs and below my hands. I could feel his member press against me, not insistent, interested, warm and solid, and oh, so real. His lips moved against mine at the prodding, and suddenly, I rocked in his hold as his mouth danced with mine. He was tilting forward, and in half a second, he had twisted us to the side, his hand holding me to his body as he made the smooth transition, pressing me sweet and gentle against the ground and looming over me. Loki was still kissing me, never parting from me for an instant as our lips melded. My hand massaged gently at his head, playing with his hair, as my mouth did the same, tongue falling from parted lips to trail against the seam of his own._

 _My legs framed his waist loosely, but I tugged him gently closer, tucking his body into the cradle of my hips. He eagerly followed, dropping to his elbows to rest closer, his mouth opening to mine. A quiet moan escaped me as our tongues tangled together._

 _~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~_

 _I had been preparing for this celebration for ages, a centenary ball and celebration. My hair was down, with two locks braided and pulled to the nape of my neck, tied together and holding a small, rare, silver flower. My silver and white dress did not have the many skirts that many woman chose for this kind of celebration. It flowed down my figure, clinging to my body, hanging from my wide hips and trailing behind me. A woven black metal belt hung at my waist. The neckline was wide, but a jewel encrusted sheer lining reached up to my neck, cleavage on clear display beneath it, before cloth replaced it, covering the swell of my breasts._

 _The celebration began with the honoring of our young people, the mothers and fathers that raised them, the brothers and sisters that watched over them and loved them. We then moved onto the soldiers, the hard work that they put into protecting the people, into protecting the royal family, and so on and so forth, until we celebrated the royal family itself. My green-blue eyes were decorated, silver glittering across my eyelids, the barest hint of make-up on my face._

 _I was waiting in my chambers for my entourage, including only Morsin and Ketyana, praying and hoping that tonight would go well. Honestly, more than anything, I wanted Thor to notice me. Which, I know, was stupid and ridiculous, and I had no chance with the blond god. Not ever, just because my stupid father hadn't had another child before me. Jack ass._

 _Just as I was beginning to wonder where my friends were, a knock sounded on my door, and I swept towards it eagerly. As I reached it, I wrenched the door open for my friends to judge me. Morsin and Ketyana both stood in front of me, turning to glance at me in surprise at the abrupt movement._

 _"Odin's beard, Zonari, could yo-" Morsin cut himself off as he looked me up and down, taking my form in, and I bit my lip, eyes flashing to Ketyana, who looked similarly speechless. I was proud of my own appearance, and while I found myself attractive, the real question was- would Thor? Ketyana recovered first, eyes widening and reaching for one of my hands._

 _"You look amazing, Zonari. More beautiful than any other woman in the entire realm, let alone the palace." Ketyana whispered, her warm brown eyes trailing over me. I motioned her forward and she leaned closer to kiss my cheek gently, before clasping a hand at my bare neck. I slipped my hand up to hers, holding her close for a moment and thanking her, the moment of unity soothing my nerves._

 _"I hate to admit it, but Ketyana is right, Ari, you look gorgeous." Morsin muttered, embracing both of us in his long arms, holding us close. "And so do you, Ket." The woman in question huffed, letting a semi-sweet comment about our clairvoyant friend spill between us._

 _"Thank you. Both of you, I appreciate it." I told them, pulling back from Ketyana to kiss Morsin's cheek, who smiled down at me, pressing one of his own against my forehead, tucking me into his chest._

 _"I wish everything could work out the way you want it to, love." His voice was soft and honest against my hair, and my eyes were drawn to Ketyana, who was smoothing out her purple dress, and I sighed, closing my eyes and comforting myself in my best friend's arms._

 _"I wish it could too, Morsin." And with that, I backed away, pulling my chamber door closed behind me and enchanting it briefly. Morsin rolled his shoulders in my periphery, and I glanced at him. When he was especially nervous, his abilities went somewhat haywire. He was a clairvoyant, and he could see both specific instances that were to happen in the future, as well as something as simple as a feeling, good or bad, and he could feel it looming closer, like he knew what would happen, like it was on the tip of his tongue, a dream slipping through his fingers when he tried to recall it. The way his eyes surveyed the area when I looked at him, I knew it was happening._

 _"Do you have a feeling about tonight?" His brown eyes turned to me, and I pursed my lips, nodding. I'd just have to be on the lookout, then. With something looming over him tonight, I knew he would be on edge, and even more sensitive to the use of magic._

 _"All is well, Morsin. Tonight we will be surrounded by the elite warriors of Asgard, Odin himself." Ketyana reminded him, rubbing a hand over his arm comfortingly. I grasped his hand in mine, smiling up at him._

 _"And, lest we forget, I must remind you, that we ourselves are some of the most formidable warriors in all the realms." While I spoke, Sin huffed, shaking my hand in his own and setting forward, dragging us both along._

 _"Yes, because you don't spend near enough time reminding us already, Princess."_

 _"Are you mocking me, Sin?"_

 _"I would never, your highness." He relayed, snarky as could be, and I rolled my eyes, hurrying alongside him as Ketyana smacked his arm._

 _"Could you be any more of an ass, Morsin? We are going to miss the first round of drinks if we loiter here."_

 _"Oh, but that's right, he doesn't enjoy the_ Asgardian _mead."_

 _"Apologies, I was unaware you were so fond of it." Morsin snapped, and my eyes widened, before Ket and I started laughing at him._

 _"It does warm me."_

 _"And it sets my throat on fire-" Morsin began, and Ketyana interrupted, laughing as we tore through the halls, our dresses clutched in our hands so we did not trip, Morsin keeping pace with ease._

 _"Only because you refuse to drink it!"_

 _"And drinking would solve my issue with drinking it?"_

 _"You must get used to the burn before you can enjoy the taste."_

 _"Yes, just as you had to fall a few times before you could fly, it takes a slight bit of pain, my dear." I taunt him, slowing as we reached the Great Hall, which was nearly full. Morsin, Ketyana, and I would be joining Thor, Loki, Sif, and The Warriors Three at one table, reserved for our elite team of warriors, but I could not find the table, nor our friends, and there was already enough magic flowing in and out of the people here._

 _"Sin, Ketyana, can you see them? I cannot." I mutter, looking at the two, who were searching the area visually._

 _"Negative, Princess."_

 _"They have to be around here somewhere." Ket murmured, on her tiptoes to see over the tall Asgardian men._

 _Immediately, I tapped Morsin's shoulder, and he dropped to a knee, his right knee propped up as a stepping stone, his left hand raised to assist. I placed my right foot on his thigh, grasping his hand, and kneeling on his shoulder. As he stood, I hooked my leg under his arm, and he grasped my thigh to keep me steady. I rose above the heads of the men and women in the room, and I searched for the blond god and his raven haired brother, for Sif, the beautiful warrior, the band of idiots._

 _"Can you see them?" Morsin asked me, and as my eyes travelled over the bodies of well-dressed people, my eyes caught onto the hammer I knew so well, glinting brightly in the great hall, its owner leaning back with a mug pouring down his throat. I could see the way his throat moved as he finished the drink, the prominence in his throat bobbing, and I could feel my insides tie themselves in knots as I let my mind run with the image, my hand clenching Morsin's a tiny bit harder._

 _"Yes, I see them." My voice was soft and rough, and I motioned for him to let me down. His hand tightened around my thigh, and he let go of my other hand to lean forward, my body falling from his shoulder smoothly, his hand catching me as I twisted in his grip. I ended up in his arms, bridal style, with Ketyana looming over me, amused._

 _"One of these days, you_ are _going to fall, and I_ am _going to laugh." I rolled my eyes at her, my hand reaching for Morsin's shoulder as he set me on my feet gently._

 _"One of these days, you_ are _going to get your ass kicked, and I_ am _going to be the one doing it." I teased her, thanking Morsin as he stood straight again._

 _"Let's go, I want a drink." She whined, tugging at my hand._

 _"Then follow." I told her, walking backwards and motioning them along with a wry grin and a shimmy of my shoulders. We moved through the crowd quickly once I turned back around, Morsin on my right, and Ketyana on my left._

 _"Will you at least try the mead tonight, Morsin?" I asked, shooting him a quick glance as we pushed through the throng of people trying to find their seats._

 _"Of course I will. I did not bring anything else, did I?" He snapped in my ear, reaching ahead of me and physically pushing an armored man out of our way. The man looked at us over his shoulder, and paled visibly at the sight he was greeted with as we walked past. A smirk slid its way onto my face as I made eye contact with him, and he bowed his head._

 _"Good." I pushed past the last person in my way, only to come face to face -or face to back- with Fandral. I placed my hand on his back and pushed him lightly. He spun around quickly, tensing at the touch, only for his eyes to widen._

 _"Ari!" He yelled excitedly, reaching down to embrace me tightly, his blond beard tickling my face._

 _"Hello, Fandral." I greeted, hugging him back whilst glancing over his shoulder at Volstagg, Sif, Loki, Thor, and Hogun. Sif laughed, the others pushing and shoving to greet me, mere boys in men's bodies. As Fandral pulled away, I kissed his cheek and grinned up at him, my arms falling from his shoulders._

 _"You look gorgeous, Princess." I curtsied a bit, thanking him._

 _"Thank you, love." In the next instant, he was tumbling away, Volstagg taking his place happily. His large arms wrapped around my waist, his body enveloping me almost completely. I chuckled into his shoulder, having to stretch to hug him back. "Good to see you, too."_

 _"It has been quite some time, my lady." I rolled my eyes. It had not been more than two fortnights since I had last seen the man. He was so melodramatic._

 _"Yes, it has." I agreed, there was no reason to upset the redhead with a pointless argument. He pulled away quickly, clasping a hand on my shoulder heavily. Ketyana and Morsin had already moved forward to greet the Asgardians, and when Volstagg turned, I joined them, rushing towards Sif, who immediately slid a hand around my neck and touched her forehead to mine. I appreciated this, finding unity with my fellow warriors. It was a traditional greeting on Lyngard, and an old one here. After a moment, her arms came up around me, crushing me to her._

 _"Sif-" I grunted, laughing breathlessly as she squeezed me tightly._

 _"I was gone the last time you were here, Zonari, do not play games with me." She warned, and I rolled my eyes, huffing over her shoulder. She was taller than I was, but by only half a head, as opposed to all the men in the realm, who were much taller than either of us._

 _"I missed you as well, Sif." She hummed a little, pulling back to raise an eyebrow at me._

 _"Did I say I missed you?" I pulled a face, laughing and shoving at her._

 _"Whatever, you know you did." She stumbled a bit, turning to me and reaching out with both hands._

 _"I know, but not everyone else has to-" She tucked me into her, laughing as she pretended to wrestle with me. I had never needed to ask for a sister -well, when I was much younger, I did- because I had Sif. Not that I held no love for Ketyana, but she was a friend, and Sif was family. I could never explain the real difference, but Sif was truly like what I imagined a sister to be._

 _"Release me, you heathen!" I huffed, pushing at her arms, and laughing as she kept readjusting._

 _"You already let loose the news, why would I hide my affection now?" She teased, and I whined low in my throat._

 _"You are such a nuisance." I muttered, finally grasping both of her hands and pulling them away. I held them away from me and she went to knee me playfully. I dodged it, now bent at an odd angle to keep myself away from her._

 _"Would you mind releasing my princess, Lady Sif?" Morsin slid next to me, grinning at the sight of the two of us. Sif let out a laugh, and pulled away, countenance joyous as she looked at the man beside me._

 _"Sin!" The female warrior laughed, her black hair flowing over her hair as she darted forward to land a few playful punches over Morsin's torso. He drew his hands up, falling into a similar offensive position, jabbing at her lightly. I let them be to terrorize each other, moving to where the rest of my friends stood. I sidled up to Hogun smoothly, slipping an arm around his waist, and he joked with me, pulling me close to his side by my arm._

 _"Princess, you look radiant." He commented, looking over me appraisingly and shortly, eyes moving back to my face._

 _"Thank you, Hogun, you look dastardly handsome tonight."_

 _"As His Highness demands." The man grinned, bringing the drink in his other hand to his lips._

 _"I need a drink, myself. Have you seen a server nearby, Hogun?"_

 _"Right over there, Princess."_ _He pointed over my shoulder, and my gaze swung that way. Wonderful._

 _"Many thanks, Hogun. I will return shortly."_

 _"Of course." The warrior nodded, his arm falling back to his own side as I moved away from him. There were two young girls standing against the wall, and I greeted them as I approached._

 _"I require a drink, ladies, can one of you assist me in this endeavor?"_

 _"Of course, Your Highness." One of the girls turned, filling a glass quickly. "My table could use another barrel close by, though, if one of you could have someone bring it to us?"_

 _"Yes, Princess." Her eyes shot back to me as she turned, rushing forward to hand me a full, ornate, golden glass full of well-aged mead, shimmering gold and gold inside. "We shall have another barrel brought momentarily."_

 _"Thank you, miss." I smiled, nodding my head at her and moving back to the table._

 _"Zonari! Come here!" Ketyana called, and I smirked, sipping at the mead._

 _"Coming, dear." Wrapping my hand around Loki's arm as I pass, I tugged him closer to where Thor and Ketyana stood, further from where Volstagg was chugging his own drink with a lovely lady on his arm. Volstagg winked at me as I passed, and I laughed, shooting him a wry grin._ _"You can fuck right off, Volstagg." I remark, and he grins right back, turning to his woman. "Hello, my prince."_

 _"Not your prince, not really." I roll my eyes at Loki's snide remark, and he wraps an arm around me to greet me. "You look absolutely stunning, darling." I smile up at him, tightening my grip on his waist and pulling him closer for a moment._

 _"Gorgeous. No surprise, my lady, though you are quite a sight tonight." Thor agreed with his brother, and leaned forward slowly, rising out of his chair, his hand reaching for mine. I pulled away from Loki after another tight squeeze, and Thor wrapped my hand in his, bringing the soft flat expanse of skin to his lips. It was soft and tender, and it makes my heart swell, the scratch of his beard and the soft, full lips pressing against my skin, and heat grew in my stomach at the thought, at the sight of him bent in front of me. All too soon, it was over, a mere few seconds, and his beautiful stormy, blue eyes find mine, bright and warm. "It's a pleasure, my lady."_

 _"I'm sure." I smirk, pulling him close as he reaches for me. "You look well since the ass kicking this afternoon, Thor."_

 _"Please, I could have beaten you quite easily if I had so wished," He chuckles loudly, his muscular arms around my waist as he hold me to him, hands splayed across my dress. "I still could, if you wished." The hot, quiet breath against my ear has my eyes closing, his hand tightening on me, a fiercer embrace, and I hum a little._

 _"Perhaps." I murmur against his neck, clutching my glass tightly in my left hand. I pull back from him, my arm going to his waist in a much more casual touch. "I requested a barrel for the table, by the way."_

 _"Thank you."_

 _"I believe we might need a good many tonight."_

 _"Of course, but we only need one for the few of us for next few moments."_

 _"I suppose," Loki hums, raising an eyebrow, and I raise one back, staring at him as I drink from the glass, the warm buzz of the drink pleasant._

 _"Would you like to bring them up here yourself, Prince?" I challenged, smirking, and he huffed down at me._

 _"I would not. I could, and probably faster than these imbecilic workers."_

 _"Please, prove yourself."_

 _"I will not!"_

 _"Calm yourself, brother, or I might actually send you for one." Thor dares, laughing, and Loki nods, sneering jokingly._

 _"Please, boys, I beg you," I cry, faux worry on my tongue, "Do not fight, please, in the midst of such an important event!" Thor pushed me a little, his arm on my shoulder warm and heavy and comforting, the feel of his skin and touch sending love and peace through my body and mind, mouth splitting in a grin._

 _"Zonari is correct. We should hold our peace." Ketyana laughed, shooting me a look._

 _"Come, we should settle." Thor demanded, pulling me to sit at his left hand, Loki at his right. Morsin sat next to me, Ketyana sat across from him, Sif across from myself, and Fandral next to her. Thor had dragged my chair closer to his, and I shoved gently at his arm as he did, laughing and holding my mead steady with my other hand._


	3. Chapter 3

_The night seemed to last for years, through the speeches, the drinking, the celebratory lighting of our ancestors' Pyre. It was nearing the middle of the night when the feast ended, though the celebrations would continue well into the morning._

 _"Zonari, please-"_

 _"Sin! Hello, how have you fared since I saw you last?" I asked, my eyes lit up in fondness for the tall brunette man, Ketyana waving at him from beside me. We leaned against the wall, sipping at some drinks we had confiscated from the far too young children of the nobles in attendance tonight. They had been loitering around a corner next to the entrance of our wing, in plain view of everyone, and they were giggling over the fact that they had successfully stolen the drinks. If you giggle about the drinks before drinking, it might be a bad idea for you to start._

 _"I have an awful feeling brewing in my gut, Ari." He admitted, looking down at the two of us as he came closer. "I want to check the palace before I retire, and I wanted to ask if you would accompany me. Both of you."_

 _"Ket? What do you think, love?" I asked, turning to look at my best friend, suppressing a grin at the look on her face._

 _"Well... Perhaps. I have had quite a bit to drink, as I am sure you are aware."_

 _"Yes, I almost drank you and Sif under the table."_

 _"You know what, Princess?"_

 _"What, Ket?"_

 _"I challenge you to a drinking competition." Ketyana said, eyebrows drawn together in seriousness. There was no helping the laugh that burst from my chest, because I was still standing on my own two feet, and Ket was barely holding herself up whilst leaning against the wall._

 _"Ket, Ari, please." My head turned to Sin, who was staring down at us pleadingly. I heaved a small sigh, lips turned up at him. I offered my hand out to him, because really, I loved this fool so much._

 _"Alright. I will go with you. We should probably drop Ketyana off in my rooms, though. She has no hope of sobering up for this search."_

 _"Fair enough." He agreed, slipping his arms around her and lifting her with ease. A small gust of magic had our drinks floating through the air as we walked down the long corridor._

 _"Oh, by Odin... I feel ill."_

 _"Would you like to be taken to the healer's instead?"_

 _"No... Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is?" She asked me, looking at me from over Morsin's broad shoulder, face screwed up._

 _"In all honesty, I do not. I have never needed to go to the healer's after a night of drinking."_

 _"Lucky you." She murmured, and Morsin patter her back gently._

 _"We shall call a healer to my rooms, does that sound alright?" The woman only hummed in response, and I grinned at her while she turned her head to the side._

 _~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~_

 _ **Twenty Minutes Later, Asgard**_

 _"Send for a healer, would you? Morsin and I have duties to attend to, make sure someone attends to her."_

 _"Yes, Your Highness."_

 _"Thank you. You are dismissed." The guard bowed deeply, before backing out of the room. "Morsin, are you quite ready?"_

 _"Are you?" I looked over to where he sat on the bed, propped up on his elbows, the bedding dipping under his weight and under Ketyana's. She was laid on her side, resting her tired body against the soft pillows on the bed in the guest room of my quarters._

 _"Yes, I am. Come along, darling."_

 _"Of course." Sin muttered dryly, a small smirk across his face as he stood. "I only ask because you had to change, I did not."_

 _"I did not want to travel the halls, looking for danger, without a proper place to hang my scabbard from. Dolt."_

 _"Excuse me, Princess, I just want to make sure all is right with the world."_

 _"Please, I would have heard if something was wrong."_

 _"Ari, can we not simply leave?"_

 _"Yes, yes, let us depart." Honestly, so impatient. I brushed my hair over my shoulder gently, shooting a look at my body guard, who threw his arm around my shoulder, tugging me close._

 _"How much water did you drink?"_

 _"Enough to assist in sobering myself up, despite how much I did not want to."_

 _"I love you, too." He laughed, kissing my head and pulling away to open the door, ushering me through first._

 _"Are there any specifics you can give me to assist in this endeavor?"_

 _"Be mindful of suspicious happenings nearby? It is not a particularly clear thought, that is the entire reason we have to trek through the palace."_

 _"I am a Princess, Sin, and a close family friend of the entire Royal family, and so are you. We could send guards out." Morsin turns to give me a sour look, downtrodden by my suggestion. "We can look through the entire castle if you so wish, dear, I am just attempting to offer a better solution."_

 _"Listen, Princess, we shall compromise. We shall search this wing because we sleep here, and if we find nothing, we can send guards and soldiers to the other parts of the castle." I sigh a little, turning my head up towards the ceiling and slouching as we walk._

 _"It is a very large wing, Morsin."_

 _"But it is still only one wing. In comparison to the entire palace, traversing this wing is a short stroll." He smirks, tugging me close again, playful, and I grumble quietly as we continue. I had had quite a lot to drink, even for my high tolerance, I had consumed a large amount of mead and hard liquors._

 _"I suppose. Though you can consider yourself in my debt."_

 _"Truly? Are we keeping a tally?"_ _He asked, looking down a hallway that came up on our left. Nothing laid that way aside from a few guards, and the ornate decorations and paintings that adorned much of the Asgardian Royal Palace. "If that is the case, I believe I may have one up on you."_

 _"Truly, Morsin? Do you? Do I drag you out of a party in the middle of the night_ _to go traipsing along through a palace filled with guards?"_

 _"I do not believe so-"_

 _"Hmm. Interesting."_

 _"Although, you have dragged me, quite literally, might I add, out of my bedchambers in the middle of the night, on multiple occasions for one ridiculous reason or another."_

 _"While that may be true, the reasons are never ridiculous."_

 _"Please-" He began, and I cut him off with a look that had him pursing his lips and raising an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue._

 _"Name one instance, one!, in which I woke you for a supposedly unimportant reason."_

 _"When you awoke me to see the same sunrise that occurs every single morning."_

 _"Because I care for you and want you to experience the most beautiful parts of life, including the seemingly mundane." Morsin turned to glance down another hallway quickly, and I sent a cursory pulse of magic down the hall to locate anyone that was not supposed to be here. Finding no one, my eyes moved upwards to rest on Morsin's face. He was pouting cutely, and trying not to smile, his eyes lit up with fondness and love as he stared down at me. His arms wrapped closer around me and he rested his chin on the top of my head._

 _"That was unbelievably sweet, my dear."_

 _"Quit that, loose lips, or people may begin to think I am not as fierce a warrior as I am."_

 _"Alright, fierce warrior o' mine, what about when you woke me up to spar for a brief moment and then collapsed on the bench and refused to move? I had to carry you all the way back to your rooms, put you to bed, and as a result, became too alert to fall back to sleep."_

 _"The best times to spar are when you aren't quite ready. As warriors, we must be ready to fight at every moment, to defend ourselves and our loved ones."_ _We both paused, and Morsin stepped in front of me, head swiveling to pinpoint the location of what seemed to be the clinking of metal, but not the thick metal of the armor the guards wore, a light tinkling._

 _"Ari."_

 _"Forward and to the right." My voice was quiet and sure, and we moved swiftly and silently down the hall, where the sounds of quiet voices began to reach my ears. Morsin pressed his back against the wall, grinning down at me before glancing around the corner, eyes careful._ _He motioned me forward, and I followed him, wrapping my hand around the hilt of the Unbroken. I stepped where he stepped, limiting both the chance of us being spotted, and the discomfort I knew he felt every time I put myself in harm's way. We swept down the hallway quickly, and I sent gentle pulses of magic through my surroundings. The voices grew louder as we grew closer, and I strained against the inherent magic of the city to listen to them. We neared another hallway, and the tall brunette paused at the corner, before peeking around it. "Sin." I murmured, watching as he slowly began chuckling, and I shoved at him gently. "Sin!"_

 _"I do not think these children are the source of my unease, Princess." His deep voice was interrupted with small bouts of laughter, and I moved past him to look down the hall. Sure enough, a few adolescents were gathered in a small alcove against the wall, talking softly and laughing amongst themselves as they drank from golden goblets._

 _"Damn you, Morsin. I will be rid of you, just watch me."_

 _"I watch you do everything, Princess, it is very tiresome, so I would happily comply with watching you do that." He teased me, and I spun, punching him in the arm, in the spot I knew would hurt the most due to a lack of thick armor. He grunted, eyebrows furrowing as he shoved me, and I stumbled back, glaring at him and gathering my strength to shove him against the unyielding wall. He chuckles, low in his throat, reaching for me quickly, but I dance out of the way with a grin._

 _"Come along, Morsin."_

 _"What do you intend to do?"_

 _"Tell them to retire to someone's room so they are not wandering the halls." Morsin eyes me as my feet carry me into the hall, boots heavy against the ground as he follows me, half a step behind and to my right. I favored my left hand for magic, and my right for sword fighting, but I always started with some kind of magic if I was able to, purely for the fact that it was much better to use at a distance. He always walked at my right side if we were speaking to people or he felt the need to be on guard._

 _The young Asgardians took notice of us quickly, and they stared in shock and fear as they scrambled up. I knew that I was slightly intimidating, especially with the sword at my hip, the sharp edges of my daily armor, particularly my shoulder armor, the gleaming metal and intricate designs covering my chest piece that detailed my status. Not to mention the huge figure lurking behind me in the form of my personal guard._

 _They bowed deeply, most likely expecting us to pass them by on our way to somewhere else, but I could see their bodies stiffen as I came to a stop in front of them. "Rise. Please." I asked of them, voice gentle. I did not want my people to be afraid of me. Or my mother's people, rather. They stood, slowly, their eyes down. "You do not need to fear me, you are in no danger with me, I swear to you. I am not here to berate you. I am who I am, but you can look me in the eye, speak to me. I had quite a few drinks myself earlier tonight, and I will not judge you for it." My eyes flitted to where Morsin stood, hands clasped one in front of the other as he surveyed them._

 _"Indeed. We are not here to get you into trouble."_

 _"We are patrolling the halls tonight, and for the time being, we need to clear out non-essential individuals, meaning anyone not on duty." They exchanged glances briefly, and I nodded at their curious gazes._ _"To be entirely transparent, I am going to have to ask you to return to somewhere more private while we secure the wing." A girl, nearer to me than most of them, looked very worried, and I stepped a tad bit closer, gesturing her to do the same. "Do you have any questions, dear?"_ _She locked eyes with me, and bit her lip as if she was unsure as if she could bring voice to her concerns._

 _"Just one, Your Highness."_ _She murmured, glancing down at her feet and drawing a quick breath. "Is everything okay? Is it safe to travel the halls back to our quarters?" I shot a look at my friend, who inclined his head slightly._

 _"Yes, it is, we're just doing a cursory walk through to confirm peace and security after the feast. If you are uncomfortable doing so, we can accompany you on your walk back to wherever you want to go, or I can ask a guard to do so." Her pretty green eyes travelled to the people she stood with, and one of the young men stepped forward. He was young, but he stood nearly as tall as Morsin, and not nearly as large, in fact, he was quite a bit thinner, but lean, and he had daggers strapped to his thighs._

 _"I am a guard, milady, I can ensure their safety as we vacate the area." He offered, bowing his head for a moment before looking back to me, asking for my approval._

 _"Please, sir, do. And have a drink for me, yes? He made me stop earlier, though I am content to live vicariously through you all tonight, okay?" I grinned, stepping away and nodding towards the brunette man beside me, who rolled his eyes heavily at my taunting._

 _"Yes, Princess." The young guard smiled at me, bending at the waist before straightening himself out._

 _"Goodnight, be safe."_

 _~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~_

 _"Morsin." I whined, tugging at his arm tiredly, feet dragging on the ground as we traversed the rest of the wing. "Can we please alert the guards now?" He glanced down at me, frustrated, but his eyes were warm and he pulled me under his arm, the warmth radiating off of him and through my exhausted body._

 _"We have only a short distance left of this wing, and I promise, I will make no complaints about going back to your quarters."_

 _"I could order you to come back now, you know." I mutter, wrapping my arm around his waist and huffing dejectedly._

 _"You could, yes." He agreed, smirking as he glanced down a hallway to the right, and then to the left. "You are not just a princess, Princess, you are a very dear friend with a very loving heart." I rolled my eyes, trudging along in silence for a moment._

 _"Right, of course. How could I have forgotten?"_

 _"Do you want to climb onto my back?"_

 _"No. If we did find anyone, it would only slow us."_

 _"I hate to be the one to tell you, Ari, but you are quite slow already."_

 _"I am not. I am tired. And I could still win any fight I was thrown in."_

 _"I would not go as far as to say any fight, but with me by your side, no harm will come to you."_

 _"I trust you, Sin, and I thank you for your every effort to keep me safe." I begin, eyes flicking down the hallway to check for anyone on the left, while Morsin reached out for the right. "I trust your magic and instincts, I always have, and I likely always will, so I will help you finish this endeavor. But I want you to think about the possibility that your bad feeling tonight might not have pertained to what you first thought."_ _He took a small breath, quiet for the moment, and stopped us where we stood, looking down at me._

 _"I know. And I wish that I had a slightly better understanding of the feeling, but all I can tell you is that I sense danger." He wrapped his other arm around me, hugging me close to him, as if reminding himself that I was okay. "I only want to ensure your safety. You are my closest friend and confidant, and I would do anything to keep you safe and happy and healthy, Zonari."_ _I sniffed, lips pinching as I tightened my grip on him. "It may be my job to protect you, but it is also a privilege, and one of the greatest I have ever known."_

 _"Thank you." He just hums, holding me close and rocking with me as we stood in the middle of the hallway. "I appreciate you, I hope you are aware. I know that I have been a pain this night, but I do appreciate your efforts to keep me from harm."_

 _"I know." His voice was quiet and honest, and I sniffed again, running my hand up and down his back. His head dropped to rest his chin atop my skull, and my eyes closed as the peace of the moment continued. We remained there for a few moments, and I had to bite back a vicious yawn that threatened to rock my body. "We are nearly done with this wing, and then we shall return to your rooms. Does that sound agreeable to you?"_

 _"Very much so, please." Morsin made a soft sound, his arms thick and warm and comforting, they made me long for my bed. I was tired, and I truly wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep._

 _"Do you wish to check on either of the princes?"_

 _"Not tonight, I am sure they are otherwise occupied."_

 _"That is very probable. Do you want me to carry you?" The man offered, tilting his head to press his lips against my hair, a soft and genuine expression of affection. I thought about it for a moment, before making a noise._

 _"After we finish looking through this area. I do not want to be caught off guard."_

 _"Of course, dear." And with that, he squeezed me once more before pulling away, one arm remaining over my shoulder. We moved through the hall slowly, eyes traveling over each corner, and when we passed a new hall, a gentle burst of magic confirmed the lack of an antagonistic presence. After a moment, he looked down at my weary form and muttered, "We are nearly done, I promise."_

 _"I know." Rolling my shoulders back, I resigned myself to being a steady and sure partner in the rest of the exploration. "How is the feeling now?"_

 _"Still there. Slightly worse, but I have no true visions or premonitions. Just a worry of impending chaos and pain." I pursed my lips, rubbing his side where by hand still rested. I tugged him down the next hall, and we drew nearer to our destination, only a few halls away now._

 _"I cannot sense anything negative, but I trust you." He hummed in response, lost in thought. "May I see?" My voice was small and quiet, as I did not wish to invade his privacy, nor disrespect his handle on his powers. He only took a moment to respond, and I continued for a moment, "I will not be offended, Sin, I only-"_

 _"Of course you can, Ari." He laughed a little, his hand moving to rub over my hair playfully. I pulled my arm from his waist, shoving his arm away with a huff of air. He bent towards me, one hand shifting my hair aside so his fingers could wrap around the back of my neck. One of my hands loved to his neck in the same fashion, pulling his head down to mine, pressing our foreheads together and closing my eyes softly._

 _There was no need for the physical contact for me to read his thoughts, though the familiar ritual from home was both comforting and a display of the trust he had in me. I allowed my consciousness to expand, reaching into his mind with a curious and kind touch to let him know I was there. I could pull out any information I wished to, but I let him push the negative feelings of his premonition towards me._

 _A sharp exhale took my breath as I was hit with the pain of his power, and he tightened his grip on the nape of my neck, a silent apology. Fighting through it, I focused on it, ignoring the bite and sting of the worry. Mostly, the worry was for me, but there was an overall fear of bedlam and an aching, long fallout. My chest thudded heavily, and I let out a small huff, "By Odin..."_

 _"Precisely."_

 _"What would that even be?"_

 _"I have no idea."_

 _"An assassination attempt? A fight? An attack on the castle? An unexpected child? Perhaps Thor's idiocy caught up with him."_

 _"Do you truly believe the family to be so careless?"_

 _"No," Muttering, I shake my head, pulling away from the brunette. "But we should alert the guards, and send word to Odin as soon as we can." We hurried through the remaining halls quickly and carefully. The first pair of guards that we came across were immediately stopped and informed of the situation._

 _"Carry word to the King, tell him that Morsin sends for extra security. Inform him that Princess Zonari backs him in this, and she requests a search of all wings. We conducted a search of our wing and found nothing."_

 _"Yes, Princess."_

 _"Tell him to contact Heimdallr and Rachivl as well. If he needs to reach out to Morsin or myself, have him send for us, we will be in my rooms."_

 _"Of course, Princess." The young man bowed deeply, and I motioned him forward so he knew it was okay to turn his back to me as he rushed for Odin._

 _"Morsie, I am exhausted." I complained as we walked away, our search finished. He hummed thoughtfully, a slow smirk crawling over his face before he reached out for my body with quick hands. A small yelp emerged from my mouth as he scooped me into his arms, but I did nothing to dissuade him from doing so. Laughter ensued shortly afterwards, despite the worry that had settled inside my chest like a heavy weight. "Sin!"_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"What are you doing?" He only laughed in response at first, but I hit him with an open hand, directly against his chest, and he let out a puff of air._

 _"You expressed tiredness, Ari, and as your protector and guardian in all endeavors, I must ensure you get to your room in a safe manner, which I am not entirely sure you that you could do on your own in this moment."_

 _"I am not so clumsy." I mutter, tucking my head against his shoulder._

 _"When we get there, dismiss one of the guards, we do not need either, but we certainly do not need two."_

 _"Yes, sir." He chuckles again, and I smack him once more. "Listen! I appreciate your concern, but I do-" I paused to cackle as he jostled me in his arms, tossing my body around easily. The wind was knocked out of me, but I could not help but enjoy it, even as tired as I was. "Morsin!" Breathless, I complained loudly, a wild grin on my face, and he hummed in question. "Please!"_

 _"Please? What ever do you mean, Zonari?"_

 _"I like rough, but I am incredibly fatigued. Be gentle with me, darling." Morsin's wide chest rumbled at my comment and he laughed heartily._

 _"I will always put your wellbeing first, my dear."_

 _"Good evening, Princess. Morsin. What are you two doing awake?" The sudden, soft voice of the raven haired prince interrupted, and I twisted in my friend's grip to look at him. Despite the goings on at the celebration, we had not conversated too much since the bedding after our row a few days prior. My stomach twisted, and for the first time in ages, I feared that the mead I had consumed tonight might make a return._


End file.
